Family law encompasses a variety of legal situations, from divorce to estate planning, and our experienced team of legal professionals is standing by to answer all of your questions. Attorney Lindsay M. Browne’s area of practice is family law and she has been practicing in Texas for over 14 years. Admitted to the Texas Bar in 2005, she is familiar with every facet of family law and has developed a proven, detail-oriented, hands-on approach.

Many people are unaware of the wide reach of family law and consequently are unfamiliar with the many ways an experienced Corpus Christi attorney can help them. Some of our most frequently asked questions pertain to divorce and child custody. You can see answers to some common questions below.

To find out how we can help you, call our family law office in Corpus Christi at (361) 742-2225.

The Court requires the parties to wait a minimum of sixty days (60) after the date the Petition is filed before granting a divorce. The parties can reach a full agreement on all issues before the sixty (60) day period expires. However, they will not be legally divorced until the waiting period has passed.

In Texas, there are several grounds under which you can file for an annulment, including: marriage under the age of 14, marriage under the age of 18, marriage under the influence of drugs or alcohol, marriage under fraud and/or duress, impotency, and/or mental incapacity.

If the other party has been properly served and does not respond to the divorce petition, then the moving party can request a default judgment. There are specific rules imposed by the Court when requesting a default judgment. For instance, the orders requested in the Default Judgment must conform to the requests made in the Petition for Divorce. Please seek the advice of counsel if you are considering the option of requesting a default judgment.

The parties can agree on a parenting schedule and who will have custody of the children. If the parties are in agreement, then a written agreement can be prepared and filed with the Court that describes the terms for custody. If the parties do not agree, then a motion can be filed requesting the Court make orders on these issues. In Texas, most courts will send the parties to mediation before making a determination regarding custody and parenting, child support, and medical support.

Mediation is recommended, and often times court-ordered, when issues cannot be resolved by the parents by agreement, whether it is parent-child issues or property division issues. A mediator (licensed family law attorney) will meet with both parties separately to assist them in reaching agreements regarding custody, possession and access, child support and medical support and property division. If the parties cannot resolve their issues during mediation, then the Court will schedule a final hearing for the parties to present their case, and the Court will then rule on the issues.

It depends. In Texas, child support is calculated by a statewide guideline formula. The factors considered in this formula include the parties’ respective incomes, the timeshare of the children, health insurance deductions, required union dues and retirement, as well as other factors. If the parties have equal parenting time with the children, but one party earns more income, then the higher earning parent may have to pay offset child support. Whether a parent will have to pay child support and the amount depends on the particular circumstances in each case.